The 2025 Santa Cruz Jewish Film Festival launches February 3!
The SCJFF film selection committee has been busy reviewing over 100 films submitted thus far in consideration for our next festival, which will play out over a variety of dates February 3 through May 25, 2025.
Below you can view trailers for films scheduled and under consideration.
If you'd like to have a more active role in the Santa Cruz Jewish Film Festival, please email SCJFF Director Paul Drescher at SCJFFinfo@gmail.com.
Topics we hope to address in the 2025 festival:
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The rise of anti-Semitism in the wake of October 7. -
A vision for the future of peaceful co-existence in the Middle East. -
The resilience of the Jewish people throughout history; stories of survival and prospering. - Stories profiling distinguished Jews who have made a difference in the world.
- Comic tales from the Jewish experience.
If you come across a film that you think would be a good fit for the SCJFF please let us know.
Award-Winning Documentary FOUR WINTERS, with Director Julia Mintz, comes to Temple Beth El on Monday evening, February 3, at 6:30 pm!
Four Winters: A Story of Jewish Partisan Resistance and Heroism in WWII
USA | Documenary | 2022 | 96 min.
Over 25,000 Jewish partisans fought back against the Nazis and their collaborators from deep within the forests of WWII’s Eastern Europe, Ukraine and Belarus. Against extraordinary odds, they escaped Nazi slaughter, and evolved from young innocents to courageous resistance fighters, shattering the myth of Jewish passivity. The last surviving partisans tell their stories of resistance in FOUR WINTERS, revealing a stunning narrative of heroism and resilience.
Click on the photo above to view the trailer.
SELECT AWARDS & ACCOLADES: Festival Premiere, New York Jewish Film Festival - Winner, Human Rights Award at Hamptons Doc Fest -
To the haunting question: “Why didn’t Jews fight back?” This film answers: “They did.”
The Santa Cruz Jewish Film Festival is thrilled to host acclaimed director Julia Mintz on Monday evening, February 3, presenting her award winning film FOUR WINTERS at Temple Beth El.
While dramatizations like DEFIANCE and INGLORIOUS BASTERDS have come out of Hollywood, the true story of Jewish resistance in WWII urgently needed to be told. FOUR WINTERS tells it, revealing the stories of the courageous Jewish fighters who, against unimaginable odds, fought back fiercely against Hitler’s war machine as it raged across Eastern Europe.
In Their Own Voices
FOUR WINTERS features interviews with the last living Partisans. Using personal photographs, letters, journals, rare archival film footage, historic war records, photographs, and artifacts from Partisans’ personal collections, the documentary weaves together a layered story that shatters the myth of Jewish passivity. The film illuminates the many ways in which Jews resisted the Nazis, and celebrates the soulful bravery, cleverness, and leadership, of the Partisans, most of whom had never touched a gun before.
Julia Mintz, Director, Writer & Producer of FOUR WINTERS has been on the producing teams for films which have premiered at Cannes, Sundance and TriBeCa, and won Emmy, Peabody and festival awards. Her films can be seen on HBO, PBS, American Masters, NETFLIX, and Amazon. She has taught seminars and workshops worldwide, and has held an adjunct faculty position at LIU in NYC. Julia Mintz is an award-winning artist and an accomplished multi-grant recipient for her work in visual arts and documentary film. You can watch her interview with ABC news here.
Winner, Best Documentary, at Toronto Jewish Film Festival - Winner, Audience Award at Palm Beach Jewish Fihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmDR3j5vUsMlm Festival - Winner, Audience Award at Seattle Jewish Film Festival - Winner, Audience Award at Australia Jewish Film Festival - Awarded Stephen Spielberg’s Jewish Story Partners Grant 2022.
"Wish List" Film for the 2025 SCJFF: GET THE LAND BACK
When Irmy, a soon-to-be-dad comedian goes to his father asking for money, he finds out that his only inheritance is a piece of land in the occupied Palestinian territories purchased by his grandmother during the British Mandate. To make things worse, he also finds out that extreme-right-winged Jewish settlers have settled on his land and made a winery out of it. So, together with his father, Irmy concocts and foists an ingenious ruse on the settlers, the army, and the Israeli government in a maneuver to get his land back. What begins as a personal quest to recover a contested piece of real estate quickly evolves into an activist escapade that exposes ironies in the mechanisms of the occupation. This is a hilarious and eye-opening documentary.
Winner, Best Documentary Feature, at the 2024 Israeli Ophir Awards (Israel's Oscars).
Israel, 2024, 72 minutes, Hebrew with English subtitles.
If you'd like to sponsor or c0-sponsor the film please contact SCJFF Director Paul Drescher at SCJFFinfo@gmail.com
Sunday, February 9, 6:30 pm at Cabrillo: the historical drama KIDNAPPED
The SCJFF, in collaboration with the Dante Alighieri Society of Santa Cruz, is pleased to present the big budget historical drama KIDNAPPED: The Story of Edgardo Mortara at 6:30 pm on Sunday, February 9 at Cabrillo College VAPA 1000. The film is offered free to the public with donations encouraged. First come, first seated.
Edgardo Mortara was a young Jewish boy living with his family in Bologna, Italy, who was secretly baptized by his nanny as an infant. At age 8 he was forcibly taken from his family to be raised as a Christian, as prescribed by Vatican law. His parents' struggle to free their son became a global scandal and was part of a larger political battle that pitted the forces of democracy and Italian unification against the papacy.
Nominated for the prestigious Palme d'Or award at Cannes. From Italy, 2023. Run time 2 hours, 5 minutes. In Italian with English subtitles.
19 wins and 16 nominations at film festivals around the world.. Co-written and directed by renowned director Marco Bellocchio.
Sunday, February 23, 6:30 pm at Temple Beth El: THE KILLING ROADS
THE KILLING ROADS exposes the terror unleashed on October 7, 2023, when Hamas and other Palestinian terrorists launched coordinated attacks across the roads of southern Israel, leaving a trail of devastation and horror in their wake.
This film includes graphic images and disturbing content but it serves as important testimony to the atrocities committed by Hamas and their associates on that horrific day.
Canada, 2024, 114 minutes, English and Hebrew with English subtitles.
If you'd like to sponsor or c0-sponsor the film please contact SCJFF Director Paul Drescher at SCJFFinfo@gmail.com
Premiering at Temple Beth El on Saturday, March 8 at 7:00 pm, the locally produced short narrative IF ONLY
IF ONLY is the creation of Santa Cruz resident and longtime Hollywood producer-writer-director Sherrry Halperin. Shot in Santa Cruz in November 2024, the film tells the story of a Jewish woman and a muslim woman who discover they have much in common.
The Director, cast and crew of IF ONLY will be on hand to celebrate the movie's release. Everyone is invited to share in the celebration with dessert and beverages offered.
IF ONLY will be screened along with the short animated film from Israel, FINAL CHORD, from filmmakers Ruth Blory and Itai Osterman.
Saturday, April 5 at 7:30 pm at Temple Beth El: SABBATH QUEEN
SABBATH QUEEN is a feature documentary filmed over 21 years that follows Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie's epic journey as the heir of 38 generations of Orthodox rabbis, including Chief Rabbis of Israel. A gay man, he is torn between rejecting and embracing his destiny. He chooses to embrace life and his identity and becomes a drag-queen rebel, a queer bio-dad and the founder of Lab/Shul—an everybody-friendly, God-optional, artist-driven, pop-up experimental congregation.
SABBATH QUEEN is directed and produced by Sandi DuBowski, the filmmaker of the breakthrough Orthodox movie addressing homosexuality, TREMBLING BEFORE GOD.
Documentary, USA. Running time 105 minutes.
This film is sponsored by Carolyn Coleman and Amy Harrington.
Monday, April 7 at 5:30 pm at the Del Mar Theatre: OCTOBER H8TE
From Executive Producer Debra Messing and Director Wendy Sachs, OCTOBER H8TE is a documentary about the explosion of anti-Semitism on college campuses, on social media and in the streets of America in the aftermath of October 7th.
High profile people featured the film include: Debra Messing, Michael Rapaport, Mosab Yousef (son of Hamas's co-founder), Sheryl Sandberg, Scott Galloway, US Rep. Ritchie Torres, US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, Dan Senor, Noa Tishby, Bari Weiss, and a survivor from Nir Oz.
Documentary, USA, English. Running time 100 minutes.
This film is sponsored by Friends of the Jewish Community Education Forum.
Saturday, April 26, at 7:00 pm at Temple Beth El: TORN
TORN examines the controversy surrounding the "KIDNAPPED" hostage poster campaign in New York City. The grassroots campaign sought to raise awareness of the 240 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, but it quickly became a polarizing symbol that sparked clashes between pro-Israel and pro-Palestine activists and turned New York City streets into battlegrounds of ideology and emotion. The film explores the motivations behind activists putting up and tearing down the posters, revealing the ironuies and complexities of this intense 'paper army' proxy war, fought thousands of miles from the actual conflict.
USA, 2024, running time 98 minutes.
If you'd like to sponsor or c0-sponsor this film please contact SCJFF Director Paul Drescher at SCJFFinfo@gmail.com
"Wish List" Film for the 2025 SCJFF: GET THE LAND BACK
When Irmy, a soon-to-be-dad comedian goes to his father asking for money, he finds out that his only inheritance is a piece of land in the occupied Palestinian territories purchased by his grandmother during the British Mandate. To make things worse, he also finds out that extreme-right-winged Jewish settlers have settled on his land and made a winery out of it. So, together with his father, Irmy concocts and foists an ingenious ruse on the settlers, the army, and the Israeli government in a maneuver to get his land back. What begins as a personal quest to recover a contested piece of real estate quickly evolves into an activist escapade that exposes ironies in the mechanisms of the occupation. This is a hilarious and eye-opening documentary.
Winner, Best Documentary Feature, at the 2024 Israeli Ophir Awards (Israel's Oscars).
Israel, 2024, 72 minutes, Hebrew with English subtitles.
If you'd like to sponsor or c0-sponsor the film please contact SCJFF Director Paul Drescher at SCJFFinfo@gmail.com
"Wish List" Film for the 2025 SCJFF: NO NAME RESTAURANT
NO NAME RESTAURANT pairs an ultra-orthodox Jew and a Bedouin guide on a sometimes contentious road trip to find the Beduin's lost camel and deliver the would-be rabbi to Alexandria, Egypt, to save a synagogue there from destruction. But the Beduin's truck breaks down in the Sinai desert, forcing them to unite for survival as they persevere in their quests.
This is a delightful mismatched buddy road movie that addresses the differences that divide us and the commonalities that unite us.
If you'd like to sponsor or c0-sponsor the film please contact SCJFF Director Paul Drescher at SCJFFinfo@gmail.com
"Wish List" Film for the 2025 SCJFF: YANIV
YANIV. Barry, a high school drama teacher in the Bronx, needs to raise money to put on the school musical. He convinces his fellow statistics teacher—a recovering gambling addict—to help him cheat at an underground card game run by the Hasidic Jewish community. The plan goes awry and all hell breaks loose, but help comes unexpectedly from the least likely people.
The movie is a comic romp from two writer-director-producer-stars who are high school drama teachers in real life. After making many short films together, this is their first feature, and it's a doozy!
If you'd like to sponsor or c0-sponsor this film please contact SCJFF Director Paul Drescher at SCJFFinfo@gmail.com
"Wish List" Film for the 2025 SCJFF: THE CATSKILLS
THE CATSKILLS is a feature-length documentary on the rise and fall of the Borscht Belt. Resorts in the Catskills of New York provided a vacation refuge for middle income and affluent Jewish families, including many who survived the devastation in Europe just a few years earlier.
Stand-up comedians and former waiters, entertainers, and dance instructors recount tales of the family-run resorts and bungalows that inspired films like DIRTY DANCING.
This is a delightful documentary with appearances by Jerry Lewis, Shecky Green, Joey Bishop, Jackie Mason and others who honed their craft in Catskills resorts.
To learn more visit https://www.thecatskillsfilm.com/ To view the trailer, click here or on the poster to the right.
If you'd like to sponsor or c0-sponsor the film please contact SCJFF Director Paul Drescher at SCJFFinfo@gmail.com
"Wish List" Film for the 2025 SCJFF: 06:30
06:30 conveys the harrowing events of the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel with profound sensitivity. It features firsthand accounts from survivors at seven different attack sites, each story vividly brought to life through the creative use of miniature models and animations. The strength of ’06:30′ lies in its nuanced depiction of that terrible day. This approach conveys the horror without explicitly showing it, offering a restrained yet deeply impactful portrayal.
If you'd like to sponsor or c0-sponsor this film please contact SCJFF Director Paul Drescher at SCJFFinfo@gmail.com
"Wish List" Film for the 2025 SCJFF: NEIGHBORS
In a Syrian border village in the early 1980’s, little Sero attends school for the first time. But a new teacher loyal to President Hafez al-Assad is determined to make proud Jew-hating Syrians out of the Kurdish children. The lessons upset and confuse Sero because his long-time neighbors are a lovable Jewish family. With delicate humor and satire, the film finds light moments amidst dictatorship and dark drama.
The film was inspired by the director’s personal experiences, and his bitter-sweet memories connect the Syrian tragedy to the present.
Switzerland - France | Drama | 2021 | 124 min.
If you'd like to sponsor or c0-sponsor this film please contact SCJFF Director Paul Drescher at SCJFFinfo@gmail.com
Previous Festival Films
7:00 pm - BIRTH OF A CONFLICT, Episode 1
This 3-part series explores the complex history of the Middle East from the Ottoman Empire to the present day and reveals newly declassified documents from British diplomatic files. A must-see for anyone wishing to understand the origins of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Documentary Series - Israel, 2022 - 56 minutes.
followed at 8:10 by SAVOY
SAVOY
This thrilling film tells the story of Kochava Levy, the forgotten heroine of the 1975 Savoy Hotel terror attack in Tel Aviv. On one March night, PLO gunmen entered the hotel, seized hostages and demanded release of Palestinian prisoners. Kochava, a Yemenite Jew, acted as translator and mediator.
Docudrama – Israel, 2022 – 78 min.
Read the Jerusalem Post's review of SAVOY here.
View Paul's interview with SAVOY writer/director/producer Zohar Wagner here.
SEVAP/MITZVAH
A poetic and moving dramatization of a true story from 80 years ago. In Nazi-occupied Bosnia, a Muslim woman risks her life to save her Jewish friend. Fifty years later Bosnia is at war and the tables are turned.
2023 Winner of the Humanitas Prize.
Narrative USA/Bosnia, 2023 - 20 min.
followed at 7:25 pm by
BIRTH OF A CONFLICT, Episode 2
The second episode of the series tells the story of how the Jewish-Arab conflict turned from a territorial quarrel between two national movements into a religious conflict. This chapter sheds new light on one of the most important, yet unknown events in the history of Palestine – The Great Arab Revolt.
Documentary series - Israel, 2022 - 56 min
followed at 8:25 pm by CHILDREN OF PEACE
CHILDREN OF PEACE
A group of dreamers founded an intentional community of Arabs and Jews, Neve Shalom, in 1970’s Israel. It was a rebellious and utopian idea: Jews and Arabs living and going to school together as friends and neighbors, learning each others' language and culture. Children who were brought up in this unique environment, now grown men and women, deal with the harsh realities of political turmoil and war.
A Zoom Q & A with the filmmaker may follow the movie.
Documentary Israel, 2022 - 60 min
The SCJFF at the Capitola Public Library
7:00 pm - CHILDREN OF PEACE
A group of dreamers and idealists founded an intentional community of Arabs and Jews-- Nevew Shalom-- in 1970s Israel. It was a rebellious and Utopian idea: Jews and Arabs living and going to school together as friends and neighbors, learning each others' language and culture. Children who were raised in this unique environment, now adults, deal with the harsh realities of political turmoil and war.
The SCJFF thanks the Santa Cruz Public Libraries for sponsoring and hosting this screening at the Capitola Public Library, 2005 Wharf Rd., Capitola.
Click on any photo below to view the movie trailer.
The Checkpoint Women: Memories
Israel | Documentary | 2023 | 60 min.
A group of Israeli women established Checkpoint Watch to guard the human rights of those passing through the checkpoints between Israel and the West Bank.
Over the years these women have documented the checkpoints on film, providing viewers with a never-before-seen angle on their interactions with the soldiers and their advocacy for the population's needs.
This documentary showcases Israeli women with extraordinary courage, humanity and dedication.
Between the Stone and the Flower
Spain-Cuba-USA| Documentary |2023 | 68 min.
A Cuban-American woman embarks on a decades-long quest to uncover her Jewish lineage. Born in Havana, Cuba, and raised in Miami, Genie Milgram was steeped in Roman Catholicism from childhood, but carried a persistent sense of disconnection with her Spanish Catholic upbringing. She goes on a geneological quest all the way back to the Great Inquisition and discovers her family's Jewish roots in the Iberian Peninsula.
This fascinating tale explores the story of the crypto-Jews who converted to Catholicism but continued to practice Judaism in secret during the dark periods of European history.
Sevap/Mitzvah
USA - Bosnia| Narrative | 2023 | 20 min.
A poetic and moving dramatization of a true story.
2023 Winner of the Humanitas Prize.
In Nazi-occupied Bosnia, a Muslim woman risks her life to save her Jewish friend. Fifty years later Bosnia is at war and the tables are turned.
Israel | Documentary| 2023 | 59 min.
A group of dreamers founded an intentional community of Arabs and Jews, Neve Shalom, in 1970’s Israel. It was a rebellious and utopian idea: Jews and Arabs living and going to school together as friends and neighbors, learning each others' language and culture. The film follows up on children who were brought up in this unique environment, now grown men and women, dealing with the harsh realities of political turmoil and war.
Russia/Germany/Belarus | 2020 | 127 min.
Gilles, a young Belgian man, is arrested by the SS and sent to a concentration camp but avoids execution by swearing to the guards that he is Persian, not Jewish. This lie temporarily saves him, but then Gilles is given the seemingly impossible task of teaching Persian to Captain Koch, the officer in charge of the camp's kitchen, who dreams of opening a restaurant in Tehran once the war is over. Serious in tone yet comic at times, the film maintains dramatic tension from start to finish without excessive use of graphic images. Director Vadim Perelman (House of Sand and Fog) delivers a unique Holocaust story of survival by wit, with masterful directing, acting and production values.
Sponsorships and donations make the film festival possible, so please consider a donation. Just click here to make a donation to the SCJFF. Donations of every size are important. And if you can afford it, SPONSORSHIPS start at just $250 and are the foundation of the film festival, and come with two festival passes with preferred seating.